Riverside, Calif. – Vanguard women's volleyball lost in four sets to La Sierra in a non-conference match on Tuesday. Set scores were 13-25, 23-25, 25-14, 19-25.
The Lions dropped their fourth straight match to fall to 10-5 overall. The Golden Eagles improved to 10-4.
What Happened?: The Lions have struggled getting off to quick starts and experienced more of the same against La Sierra. For the 10th time in the last 12 contests, Vanguard lost the first set. The Lions went down by two sets in the match, but as has also been the case this season, they have displayed the grit to battle back from deficits. Thirteen of VU's 15 matches have gone at least four sets, and the team hasn't been swept all season. VU took the third set against La Sierra in dominant fashion, but could not keep up the momentum in a fourth set loss.
Cambria Fernandez (SR/Northridge, CA) churned out a match-high 15 kills while adding eight digs and two service aces for the Lions. Samantha Arellano (SR/Tulare, CA) had seven kills on .333 hitting. Madeline DeLucia (SO/Happy Valley, OR) posted 32 assists, seven digs and three aces, and Kynzey Mitzel (SR/Tigard, OR) notched 12 digs.
Michele Mendizabal produced 13 kills for the Golden Eagles and Trinity Wyscarver patrolled the back row with a match-high 20 digs.
VU hit .104 for the match, while La Sierra swung at a .121 clip. In the 25-14 third set win, the Lions hit .308 (12-4-26) as Fernandez provided six kills.
Vanguard fell into an early 6-0 hole in the first set before closing to 12-9 on a kill from Hailey Petersen (JR/Omaha, NE). Trailing 19-13 following a DeLucia ace, the Golden Eagles reeled off six straight points to take the 25-13 win.
In set two, the roles were reversed as Vanguard stormed out to an 8-3 lead on another Petersen putaway. The Golden Eagles cut the lead to 8-7 after a 4-0 run, but the Lions answered with five of the next six points to go back up, 13-8. VU led by as many as six at 16-10 when La Sierra used another 4-0 spurt to trim the lead to two. VU remained in front by two, 20-18, on a La Sierra attack error. However, the home team tied the score at 20-20 and again at 23-23. La Sierra took its first lead of the set, 24-23, on a VU attack error and closed out the frame on a kill from Mendizabal.
Vanguard trailed just once in the commanding third set victory, building leads of 14-6 and 20-9 before a Petersen slam finished out the 25-14 win.
But the fourth set started out with an 8-3 deficit, and although three straight Lion points reduced the margin to two, the Golden Eagles went on a 5-0 run to extend the advantage to seven. Vanguard fought back with five straight points helped along by four straight errors from La Sierra. Down 13-11, Vanguard could inch no closer as the Golden Eagles won by a 25-19 score.
What's Next: Vanguard seeks a return to the win column with a rivalry match on tap. The Lions host Westmont this Friday at 7:00 p.m. inside The Pit.
